Bronco's Rough Ride (Bad Boys of Beta Squad, 0.5) Read online

  Squaring her shoulders, Lindsey pulled up to the valet and smiled at the young man who waited for her to get out. Show time.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Black. Are you leaving your car with us today?”

  “Hello, Pedro. I am. I need it to be taken care of tonight. I have a date.” She gave him a smug smile.

  “Oh-ho, this I’ve got to see. The infamously single Ms. Black with a man? You’ve dashed my hopes.” He theatrically threw a hand over his heart and staggered back a step.

  Lindsey laughed. She’d miss the young man. “Yes, I’m sure. Please be sure it is safe and secure. I don’t want my plans messed up.”

  “Of course, Ms. Black. You can count on me.” His smile widened as she slipped him a fifty dollar bill. “You’re always so good to me.”

  “I know you want to go to college and it costs. Education is very important, Pedro.”

  “I know, I know. I remember. I won’t let you down, Ms. Black.”

  “Excellent. I’ll see you tonight with my date.” Lindsey waved as she pulled the suit bag out of the passenger door and headed for the hotel.

  Everything was in order. Courtney had called to say still no safe house, but Lindsey had figured it would be the case. She’d replied she hoped they still had a nice time and she had a date with the guy in the card.

  “He said yes? That’s great. When?”

  “Tonight. I’ll call you when I get back.”

  “You’re sure you’re okay with not house-sitting?”

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. You know you’re ruining my weekend plans, don’t you?”

  Courtney had snorted. “Yeah, right. I know you. You always land on your feet, Jenna.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. They’d signed off and Lindsey had put her all her attention into Plan Bravo. She allowed a confident smile to crease her lips as she hugged her purse to her side. The Luscious Lash syringe case and the burner phone sat snug in the zippered pockets. She’d activated the phone that morning, but hadn’t turned it on since. No point in using it until necessary.

  When she arrived in her suite, she hung John’s suit and unzipped the bag. It wouldn’t fool anyone on close inspection, but in a Club with hundreds of people jostling in strobe lights, he’d look like a decent date for Mistress Black. She’d dated a few others in her term undercover just to give legitimacy to such activities, but she’d never run with a man before.

  Here’s hoping I make a decent kidnapper.

  She snorted as she sat at her little laptop and typed out a request for her toy to be delivered to her suite that evening. While not common to have a private audience with purchased products, it was allowed upon occasion. This is a great occasion. Lindsey hit enter and headed for the shower. Anything to calm the excitement building as the time approached. She had to be cool or she’d give away the whole game. And I’m not losing this one.

  ****

  Lindsey’s cell rattled out the Ride of the Valkyries as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. She really did appreciate Courtney’s little gift and gave herself a false smile as she picked up her phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Jenna. I just wanted to see how you’re doing. Date night tonight, right?” Courtney’s voice sounded excited, but Lindsey suspected that hid the anxiousness.

  Or maybe it’s my anxiousness I’m reading into it.

  “Yes, tonight is the night. I got the confirmation he’d be here in… Ooo, five minutes.” She checked her hair and lip gloss in the mirror then left the bathroom for the main suite.

  “Are you staying in or going out?”

  “I think we’ll have drinks here, then head to the club. Why?”

  “I just want to make sure you’re safe. Men can be a handful, you know. Especially this guy. He’s so big.” Courtney hinted at John’s strength and training.

  Lindsey forced a laugh. “I’m sure we’ll be okay, but I’ll be careful. This Club takes a dim view on physical abuse and I’ll be surrounded by people. Don’t worry, Court. I’ll be fine.”

  “All right. I just want you to know I’m here for you and you can call me any time.”

  “Thanks, Court. He’s meeting me at the hotel, but left his car where he’s staying. I’m sure it’ll be great. He’ll at least need to be nice to me to get a ride back.”

  “Did he tell you his hotel?”

  “No, but I can probably weasel it out of him.”

  Lindsey heard keys tapping in the background. Courtney already started the search for John’s car. “Good. Just be safe and have fun tonight, ’kay?”

  “Will do. Say hi to Bill for me and you kids have fun, too.”

  “We will. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  A knock at her suite door made Lindsey snap her phone shut and smooth down her dress. It’s the moment of truth. She strode to the door and pulled it open, trying not to show her disgust at the vision of John Andrews strapped to a board on a dolly. She covered it with a smile she could only hope appeared pleased.

  “Excellent, wheel him over to the bed.”

  The orderlies nodded as they delivered her package and she ignored the urge to pull out her weapon and shoot them both. Instead, she left the door open, an implicit request to leave. They hauled him up on the bed and rolled the dolly out into the living space.

  “If I want to keep him longer than my arranged time, I’ll send in a new request. I’ll get a confirmation email, isn’t that so?”

  “You will.”

  Resisting the urge to untie him before they’d gone, Lindsey followed them out of the bedroom and picked up her purse. She pulled out two twenties and extended it to the taller orderly.

  “Thank you, ma’am. Much appreciated.”

  “No, thank you.”

  “We’ll be back in two hours to re-administer his meds or take him back to the holding cells.”

  “Thank you. I’ll be ready.”

  The orderly nodded and the two men left, closing the door behind them. Lindsey turned the security lock and engaged the security bar then took a deep breath. If she had any say in the matter, neither she nor John would be here when they returned.

  Lindsey grabbed a glass in her kitchenette and filled it with water to calm her nerves. She’d swept the room for bugs earlier, but her whole mission depended upon her appearing completely at ease. Even if they can’t see or hear me. She refused to admit her nervousness came from the man lying on the bed in the other room.

  She gulped down the last of her water and headed for the room. He needed to be untied and dressed. She chuckled and shook her head. This isn’t going to be like dressing a baby doll. None of her dolls had ever been fully articulated, much less anatomically correct.

  The orderlies had laid him on the bed on his back, his hands and ankles bound. Growling, she darted to her purse. She might only have a small decorative pocketknife, but zipties still broke before steel. Who knew a TV show would come in so handy? Rule number nine: Always carry a knife.

  “Hang on, John. I’ll have them off soon.” She snapped the ties at his ankles with one swipe of the little blade, but the bonds on his wrists took some sawing. Fury brewed with each cut through the plastic. “We’ll get you out of here and bring the sick bastards down.”

  The zipties fell away and she tossed the knife back into her purse before settling down beside him. Deep welts marked the skin at his wrists. He stared straight up at the ceiling and she angled his head toward her so she could meet his gaze as she rubbed his hands.

  “Sit tight. Let me get the nullifier into you so it can work its magic before I get your circulation going again.” Lindsey rose and dug through her purse, retrieving the syringe disguised as the mascara tube. “Ready?”

  John blinked twice. Yes.

  “You’re stronger than you think and this will work fast.” Faster than two hours at least. That’s all I need.

  She swallowed against revulsion as she readied the needle. She could face down a jacked-up junkie with a loaded weapon, but
one little needle entering skin made her want to run screaming for the hills. Just push it in and be done, Jarvis.

  Lindsey pressed the plunger to let out the air and inserted the needle into his vein. She kept her mind on the feel of his warm skin in her hands to push off the threatening nausea. Focus. At last the plunger hit bottom and she pulled the syringe out.

  “There. That should do it.” She glanced at his eyes. “At least get it started.” She deposited the used syringe back into her purse. “Let me get you a towel.” She selected one of the fluffy burgundy towels from her bath and returned to the bedroom. “This will be like a swanky massage, right?” She gave him a half smile as she laid the towel over his lap and tucked it around his hips. When done, she sat down beside him, certain to keep in his line of sight.

  “I guess we have a little time to get to know each other.”

  She paused, resisting the urge to run her hands over the taut muscles of his legs. She’d learned the softness of his hair and ached to touch it again. You get no liberties now, Jarvis. “So I did some checking and I found out you’re in the Navy headed to Coronado Naval Base on a Permanent Change of Station. Is that right?”

  Lindsey met his gaze and he blinked twice. “I know the Naval SpecOps trains there.” She scanned his body. “And no tattoos, which is unusual. Most military guys get tats, but not you.”

  The scars stood out against his tanned skin, but no ink. “Unless you’ve removed them, which leaves bad scars and hurts like hell, so I’m told. Did you once have a tat, John?”

  He blinked once and she nodded. “Me, either. Given my job, I don’t want too many indentifying marks.”

  She leaned forward and glanced down at her feet, suddenly nervous. What are you, a teenager on a first date? You’ve had sexual intimacies with this man. You aren’t strangers.

  Lindsey scooted back on the bed closer to John so he could see her better. “Do you want me to prop you up on pillows so you have a better view of the room?”

  John blinked twice and she smiled. “Yeah, I figured you’d prefer to be able to see all escape routes, even if you can’t use them.” She crawled behind him and looped her hands under his arms then pulled back toward the headboard.

  “Holy moly, you’re heavy.” She succeeded in moving him only inches. Damn, remind me not to go out for SpecOps in the military any time soon. “I’ll pile pillows behind you and prop you up. It might be just as well. I’ll have to dress you and it’ll be easier if your legs are near the floor.”

  She slid out from behind him and rested on the bed. “Damn, you smell good. At least they finally gave you a bath.” He didn’t say anything and she wished an end to the one-sided conversation. “I feel like I’m talking to myself, you know?”

  John blinked two times and moaned. Lindsey gasped. “I heard you. This is a good sign the nullifier is working.” John’s lids fluttered with agreement.

  “So I’m sure you’re wondering at my plan.” She rolled over so they lay nose to nose. He blinked twice. “I figure you’re going to be unsteady on your feet and slurring words. The perfect cover has us as a drunken couple leaving the Man Cave Club downstairs. My handler couldn’t get a safe house set up in time, but you can’t stay here longer. The ketamine will shut down your heart and other organs. We weren’t given a choice so I found my own safe house. Once we’re out of the club we’ll head straight there. Copy?”

  John blinked twice again.

  “I promise I’ll get you out and keep you safe until you come down off the ketamine. Then we can bring you in.” She ignored the pang at how little time she’d have to spend with him alone. This is a job, Jarvis. You don’t even know this man very well.

  It didn’t stop her desire to know him better. Unfortunately, he couldn’t answer any complex questions. Yes and no was all they had at the moment. Lindsey studied his golden-brown eyes full of intelligence below the thick brows. She wondered what his face would look like with full animation. Did he have dimples in his cheeks? Crow’s feet at the edges of his eyes? She still didn’t know how hold he was, but he didn’t look too much older than her.

  John groaned and his brows contracted a little.

  “Sorry, am I hurting you?”

  John blinked once and she sighed. “I wish I could talk to you in more than just yes or no questions.” His eyes closed twice to show his agreement. “Tell, you what, let’s get you dressed so you’re ready to go when the ketamine wears off.”

  Lindsey didn’t wait for his agreement as she slid off the bed and headed for the luxurious walk-in closet. She opened the suit bag and pulled out the dark pinstriped jacket and pants. She hoped she’d estimated his size right. She carried it out to show him and tried to ignore how beautiful he looked lying there on the bed. Focus, Jarvis.

  “So what do you think? It’s a size forty jacket to fit those shoulders of yours and size thirty-thirty-two pants. Did I get them right?”

  She thought she read surprise in his eyes before he closed them twice. Pleasure bloomed in her chest at her good guesses and she smiled.

  “I didn’t know your size of shirt, so I made sure it had a seventeen inch neck and short sleeves. I didn’t have a lot of time to look.” She held up a packaged button-down shirt. “Think it will fit?”

  John’s brows lowered a little and he blinked twice.

  Lindsey nodded. “Good. Let’s try it, shall we?”

  She laid the suit over the nearest chair and opened the shirt package before she climbed onto the bed. He watched her, the corner of his mouth twitching.

  “Are you smiling at me, John?”

  His eyes closed twice more and she answered with a grin. “When I was a little girl, I didn’t have a baby doll, but my mother insisted I had to learn to play with those vegetable patch kids. She bought me one and I thought it was the ugliest thing out there.” Lindsey pulled the cardboard insert out of the shirt and shook out the cloth. “I thought cream would look great against your tanned skin.”

  John grunted and she took it as amusement.

  “Anyway, undressing and dressing that thing was a pain in the ass. It had thick, chubby arms and legs, and the clothes would stick to the fabric of the doll. I think I gave up after the second outfit.”

  She reached for his arm and gathered the heavy limb, enjoying the scent of his skin and the rough texture of his palm. She rubbed the calluses with her thumbs, noting the locations of them. The calluses spoke of experience and understanding of weapons. Something about them sent excitement shooting to her groin. Damn, military men are sexy.

  “You have beautiful hands, John.” She turned his arm over to look at the veins and muscles beneath the dark hair of his forearm. “I love the strength in them. They show your experience without being ostentatious. You don’t have to scream about your knowledge. Your body shows your capabilities.” She raised her gaze to his. “It’s beautiful.”

  ****

  John didn’t think he’d ever had a woman tell him she found him beautiful. In his line of work, beauty wasn’t an attribute they strove for. But something about the way Lindsey held and caressed his hand made him grateful she saw him as beautiful. He wanted to tell her she held as much beauty and sensual grace as she attributed to him, but his voice still refused to work.

  Lindsey seemed to come back to herself and gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I got a little carried away there. Dressing you shouldn’t be as hard as the doll. At least the cloth won’t snag on your skin.”

  She fit the open shirt sleeve over his left hand and dragged it up to his bicep in gentle tugs. She shifted behind him to lift up his shoulders and her cherry-blossom fragrance washed over him. He closed his eyes and reveled in it. God, she smells so good. The scent-memory would stay with him forever.

  “Heh, even your chest and shoulders are heavy.” Lindsey pushed him up and propped him on her chest. He enjoyed the soft swells of her breasts against his bare back. Too bad she’s still wearing her dress. He hadn’t had the pleasure of skin on skin with her
. Dammit.

  She tugged the shirt around his shoulders then paused, giving a short laugh. “This would be so much easier if you could help me. Okay, up you go.” She shoved him into a sitting position, grunting with her efforts. The world spun as his head sagged and her arms wrapped around him to keep him upright. Well, kinda upright. He swayed and tilted, and his own frustration echoed the low growl rumbling in her chest against his back.

  “This is so wrong, it’s funny.” She laid her head on his shoulder and took a few breaths. “Okay, I think I have to roll you onto your belly, lift your other arm to get it in the sleeve, then roll you back. God help me when I have to get the jacket on you. Ready?”

  What could he say? She sat behind him and he couldn’t turn his head.

  “All right. Here we go.”

  She scooted out from behind him and gently laid him on his back. “Are we good?”

  He blinked twice and mentally grinned at her.

  “Good.” She nodded. “Onto your stomach, now. I’ll try to make sure you can breathe.”

  She straightened out his limbs then pushed him over onto his belly, shifting the towel to drape over his ass. When his nose flattened against the bed, she gently turned his head to the side. His view filled with pillow and wall, but he heard Lindsey get off the bed and rustle around in the room.

  “I know you can’t see me, but I think I should do the jacket, too. I don’t think I have the strength to keep rolling you over.”

  Not to mention he didn’t enjoy smelling the bedding. He tried to tell her he thought her idea a good one, but it came out as a muffled moan.

  “Okay, I’ll try to make it quick.”

  Cool fabric rested on his thighs as she returned to the bed, the mattress dipping with her weight. She tugged the shirt over his shoulders then slid her hands down his arm to grasp his wrist. Every motion seemed like a sensuous dance of texture, and he closed his eyes to savor the feeling of her soft skin. She lifted his free arm and fed it through the arm hole, gently straightening it and laying it beside his body.